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Westminster diary

THE director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, reckons it is time to abandon the notion that it is morally reprehensible for some countries to pursue nuclear weapons, yet morally acceptable for others to rely on them (New Scientist, 10 July, p 17). Speaking at the Carnegie International Non-Proliferation Conference in Washington DC recently, ElBaradei said the issue had come to a head with the IAEA’s call on 18 June for Iran to be open about its programme (New Scientist, 26 June, p 4). I asked the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, for his opinion.